HAMPTON — Public works and safety officials were successful in their efforts last week to save six oceanfront homes from slipping into the Atlantic Ocean.

"We were successful in preventing the loss of these structures and the subsequent environmental damage that would have resulted," Town Manager Fred Welch said.

Astronomical high tides took down two sea walls Sunday morning between 1056 and 1068 Ocean Blvd., resulting in a massive effort by the town, county, state and federal agencies to save the properties from falling into the Atlantic Ocean.

In a two-day effort, contractors constructed a temporary sea wall with boulders and added support beams to keep the house from slipping any further.

"They just did an amazing job," said Hampton Police Capt. Richard Sawyer. "When I got on the scene at 8:30 a.m., I was concerned that we were possibly going to lose one to four houses into the ocean."